The German in me has come out: Die Frau (translation: The Lady) will post her ramblings, thoughts, and gripes so she won't drive her loving man, supportive family, or amazing friends screaming into the night.

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Testing/Ode to My Dog

Just checking to see if I could finally get a picture from my computer on here. This is Boo. Boo is now in doggie heaven after almost sixteen years of life. The picture was taken the day before we put her down. She was weird and paranoid and never got along with my mom and even tried to bite me a few times, and she trusted me more than anyone. She only got mean when she didn't feel like getting out of her dog bed to go out. She was an ornery little pill and gave me lots of kisses and played chase with me around the apartment. She was a great little guard dog and tried once to take down a burglar who attempted to break into our house. Not that she could've done much, but she would have made a valiant attempt and at least gotten his ankles or lower calves. She didn't really know she was a small dog...unless she need to hide under chairs from bigger dogs. When she was fifteen she killed a mouse that got into our apartment and we were so proud (her first mouse! as a geriatric!) that we didn't even mind that we found it two days later after playing the "What's that smell?" game.

Boo was my little pal and was there for me even when I was feeling my most alone. She was always happy to see me and hid under the bed during thunderstorms. She loved pretzels and peanut butter and carrots. Any scrap of sunshine was hers to lie in, my little solar-powered girl. She loved chasing her "squeaky" and tennis balls, and hated the rain. Jack Russells are extremely smart and Boo was no exception. For years she slept on my sister's bed, waiting patiently until M. was settled in before getting the command to "come up" and jumping on the bed to cuddle in. I took her after she went into doggie depression after I moved to VA and M. went to college. Mom says she would've died of a broken heart if I hadn't taken her. Boonie liked VA and would watch me leave for work in the morning. I loved seeing her sweet face in the window.

Boo also knew that suitcases meant you were leaving, and would cry when she saw them. We had to distract her and hustle our suitcases into the car because we felt like abandoners seeing her get upset. Once she didn't know I was still there and was crying at the door, and when she turned and saw me, I swear she gave a huge sigh of relief and wouldn't leave my side for the rest of the evening. She loved tummy rubs...but only if she trusted you. When she was a puppy she would try to kill our Koosh ball by snapping its neck. I taught her how to go down the back stairs by putting her Pound Puppy toy on a lower step. She was about the same size as the smaller Pound Puppy.

My sweet girl was the first pet I could ever have, since I'm technically allergic. I don't think I'll ever get another Jack Russell because 1) Boo's irreplaceable and 2) you never know if you'll get a really yippy one who chews the rug. No matter how many dogs I have in my life, Boo will be the first and the most special.

I didn't mean to write this little eulogy, honestly. I was just testing picture posting capability. I guess it needed to come out. I guess I just miss her, still. But she had a happy life and now she gets to run around and eat all the peanut butter she wants.